It’s been an interesting first two weeks to the NFL season. Ed Hochuli has gone from the ref known for his huge arms to the one known for one of the worst calls in recent memory.

Meanwhile, what’s lost in this is that rookie WR Eddie Royal continues to put up numbers, even with Brandon Marshall back from suspension. And as an additional plus, it came against a team better than the Raiders!

Mike Martz may have an effect in San Francisco after all, as Frank Gore is doing his best vintage Marshall Faulk impression. Perhaps not to that degree, but he’ll be a good option all year long. See if his owner in your league might not be a believer yet and try to trade for him–I was able to snag him fairly late in a couple of my drafts.

The best fantasy omen may be the Detroit Lions defense, who the aforementioned Gore plays this week. This also makes JT O’Sullivan a viable fantasy option to grab if your starter has a tough matchup. There’s also an off chance he may keep it up past Detroit. Seattle and Detroit (the Niners previous and next opponents) rank 25th and 27th, respectively, in pass defense.

It might be time to cut bait on Packers RB Ryan Grant, though I hate to say it. I was a big fan of his entering the season, but hamstring injuries don’t heal quickly and Brandon Jackson is no slouch himself. If you can handcuff, I’d do so. If you can unload Grant for anything close to his preseason value, I’d do that too.

Though it pains me, someone who deserves more patience is the Cannabis Kid himself, Miami RB Ricky Williams. Though he’s taken a couple years off, he was once a dominant back, and could be so again once he shakes the rust off. However, there’s a good chance the problem is him (or the crappy offensive line). If he still sucks going into Week 5, I’d cut him then.

I read an article the other day that compared Chiefs RB Larry Johnson to Eddie George, and I can’t help but find the similarities alarming (disclosure: Especially as a Chiefs fan). He’s another guy, like Grant, that I would trade if you can get anything close to preseason value. It may be time to stash Jamaal Charles too, if you’re in a deep league.

Since the Seahawks are signing WR Koren Robinson and considering it an upgrade to their receiving corps, I think it’s safe to say you should temper your expectations for Matt Hasselbeck for the next few weeks. Coach Mike Holmgren said that he doesn’t expect WRs Deion Branch and Bobby Engram to return before the bye week. This implies that they’ll return shortly thereafter, so if you can trade for Hasselbeck (or pick him up in Free Agency), it’d be a worthwhile move. Remember, playing well in the fantasy playoffs is what counts, and it looks like they’ll be airing it out a lot by then with their struggling backfield.

Lastly, a word about the site. We’re working on fixing some of the minor problems (gliches, out of date quantitative analysis), but the qualitative stuff / blog info should continue to be top notch. It’ll take a little while to update everything, but we’re getting it done and taking it very seriously. If you have any questions, about the site, or want personal advice about fantasy football, love, or life in general, direct them to grafton at myfantasyball dot com. I’ll do my best to answer them in a timely manner.